Differentiating Features of subcortical dementias and cortical dementias
How do the general features of subcortical dementias differ from cortical dementias?
The cortical dementias, such as AD, usually involve language and calculations and may involve apraxia and cortical sensory disturbances (e.g., astereognosis, graphesthesia), whereas subcortical dementias do not.
Both recall and recognition memory are usually impaired in cortical dementia, whereas recognition memory is relatively preserved in subcortical dementia.
Frontal executive functions are lost in proportion to the overall dementia in cortical processes but are prominently affected in subcortical dementia.
Bradykinesia and bradyphrenia, as well as other motor features, are usually absent or late findings in cortical dementias but occur early in subcortical dementias.
Personality changes are variable in both types but are said to be more prominent early in the course of subcortical dementia.
